Compiled by Jason Cramp
The number of preventable water-related deaths in the country between 2006 and 2010 has increased by seven per cent over the previous five years (2001 to 2005), according to the Canadian Drowning Report: 2013 Edition, prepared for the Lifesaving Society Canada by the Drowning Prevention Research Centre Canada.
These statistics are based on all water-related scenarios where drownings occur, including lakes and ponds (35 per cent), rivers, streams, and creeks (28 per cent), ocean (10 per cent), bath tubs (nine per cent), and private pools (six per cent). This article focuses on the research as it pertains to residential/commercial pools and their related activities.
According to the report, between 2006 and 2010, residential swimming pool drownings are fewer in number (six per cent) and remain at roughly the same rate as in previous years; however, recreational swimming—in all bodies of water—continues to account for the majority of water-related deaths in Canada. The Lifesaving Society says the risk factors contributing to why these victims drowned remain consistent with what the group has identified in the past, which includes the inability to swim, alcohol consumption, swimming alone or with a companion who could not rescue them, and heart disease (i.e. suffering a heart attack while swimming).
The latter being one reason as to why drownings among ‘Baby Boomers’ (50 to 64 years of age) has seen the largest increase in deaths during recreational water use. Despite this increase, the 18- to 24-year-old demographic (i.e. the risk-takers) continues to have the highest water-related death rate of any age group in Canada. However, encouraging progress has been made amongst those under 18, who have fewer drownings and lower water-related deaths.
For children younger than five, water-related deaths have also decreased, reflecting a lower drowning death rate of 1.1 per 100,000 population. During the ’90s, however, the number of drownings that occurred in this demographic were as high as those in the ‘risk-takers’ category. Despite lower drowning rates, backyard swimming pools remain the number one setting where this demographic most often drown. However, where information was available, the report says for half of private pool fatalities there was either no gate (29 per cent) or the gate was neither self-closing nor self-latching (22 per cent). Again, the risk factors contributing to these drownings remain consistent with past findings, which is the fact they typically occurred when children were alone near water during a momentary absence/lapse of caregiver attention.
When it came to public swimming pools and waterparks, which are supervised by lifeguards, these facilities averaged four deaths per year between 2006 and 2010. Almost half of the victims (48 per cent) were children between the ages of 5 and 12.
To review this report in its entirety, visit www.lifesaving.org/download/2013-cdndrowningreport.pdf.
